Legions Imperialis – Solar Auxilia Stormhammers

In case you are looking for something heavier than a Baneblade, there is an option for the Solar Auxilia in Legions Imperialis - the Stormhammers.

Like the other super-heavy squadrons, this boxed set covers two vehicles as well, both are build as Stormhammers. This set of two sprues is available at a RRP of 41 EURs / 31,50 GBP.

Initially this tank was build as a massive anti-infantry tank during the Great Crusade and fulfilled this task reliably against the Orks and later during the civil war. And even 10.000 years later, this tank pattern is still in service, just not with the Solar Auxilia but Astra Militarum. While there are different variants and armaments for the vehicle, within Legions Imperialis it has only the option between multi-laser or lascannon sponsons.

Beside the mentioned two identical sprues, it comes with an assembly instruction in black and white, as well as an decal sheet.

The sprues are an entire new design for the Stormhammer, and not a recut from the other superheavies like Baneblade or Shadowsword. As usual a high quality on the casting with sharp details and minor to no mould lines.

This kit comes with the regular Solar Auxilia vehicle decal sheet. It covers 8 different Cohorts of the Solar Auxilia: Arkadian Janissaries, Cthonian Headhunters, Manachean Bulls, Saturnyne Rams, Lord Marshal's Own, Ash Scorpions, Bormanite Devils and The Deathless. All of these are black and white, not additional colours, yet we have all insignia in both variants, so you can use them on darker as well as lighter colour schemes you come up with.

We build the tank as usual from the tracks up. The lower hull receives the additional track sections to complete and then only the upper hull is missing. To create further plasticity the angled armour plates are individual pieces that are added to the hull. In addition this provides a higher detail count as the limitations of injection moulding wouldn't allow that otherwise.

In this step you can see the biggest difference to the "regular" super heavies, as the Stormhammer has two huge turrets and the enlarged upper plate is added to the hull as well. In this step we have the first and more less only option, if you don't count in the crew - choosing between multi-laser or lascannon sponsons.

Now we are adding the final details, as well as the crew, with usual options for closed hatches and a few different crew men, one with a pintle mounted weapon.

Here is the Stormhammer, along with a comparison next to Baneblade and Shadowsword. As well as the super heavy, heavy and regular tank sizes of the Solar Auxilia. Along with a comparison with the "big boys".

Quite the big boy among the vehicles and as you can see lot sof riveted armor plates.

Conclusion

With the super heavy tanks for Legions Imperialis I always have the same conclusion. I really enjoy the build. It is nearly hasslefree and a good fit, but the price is a big issue. 41 EUR RRP for two models is really expensive, especially if you consider that some of these super heavies can be used as squadrons of 6, adding to a whooping 123 EUR for a single unit of just 6 models. It would be far more reasonable to put these in a 30 to 35 EUR price band.

Maybe it would help, if they added some accessories like they did with the Stalker constructs, where you get a few bases of infantry with it. Adding a small unit of heavy infantry, a walker or some specialised infantry in here would boost the value.

Beyond that, I think most people are waiting for these to be released as plastic kits for Horus Heresy, as the box pictures of Legions Imperialis usually show the larger 32mm scale miniatures and not the actual product contained in the set. In this case, I still think that we see the hybrid plastic resin kit, and not a full plastic set.

But regarding super heavies in plastic, I hope we see the next supplement soon, giving us access to the Astartes ones, with the Fellblade, Glaive and Falchion. Those will still be expensive, but due to their more elite role, less of a problem with smaller squadrons.

The Horus Heresy and Legions Imperialis are brands by Games Workshop.